Jewelry Collection Stories: The Eden Collective

Many of you know my love for The Eden Collective, an Etsy shop on-point with each and every piece she posts. The more I’ve gotten to know Eden, the more I realized what a true collector she really is!  A collector since the age of seven, Eden tagged along with her father to auctions and flea markets.  She bought her first ring at a very young age, with the help of some birthday money–a sterling Navajo ring with heart shaped turquoise–and has been hooked ever since (she even still has the ring!)  Her phases of collections were quite fun–a bakelite bracelet phase where she has two boot boxes under her bed with bracelets that she never wears but can’t seem to get rid of, a Mexican silver phase, a deco filigree phase …continuous with a Victorian and Georgian phase.  Collecting jewelry has been somewhat constant for her, with most of her income going toward pretty, shiny things.  A job in college next to a jeweler led to a running tab and lots of hard work.  

Of all the places, flea markets are what gets Eden going–the mere mention of the word, and she becomes instantly happy.  She makes it a point to seek one out every where she travels, with a few of her favorites being Hong Kong, India, Mexico, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Morocco, Italy and of course coast to coast USA–and surprisingly she has never been to Brimfield, which is on her list!

Here are some highlights of her personal collection–none of which are for sale–but she does have an incredible Etsy shop (The Eden Collective) which is a must to add on the Favorites list.  

1. Victorian hand painted miniature portrait worn as bracelet: 14k, old mine cut diamonds, reverses to painting of the little girl’s mother

2. 40s honeycomb belt bracelet: 18k & platinum, brilliant cut diamonds

3. Victorian slide collection bracelet: mix of 10k and 14k slides with enamel, rubies, diamonds, opals, pearls & turquoise

4. Edwardian “X” bangle: 14k yellow gold, rose cut diamonds, opals

1. Victorian micro-mosaic ring: 18k with landscape scene mosaic inset in onyx

2. Early Victorian mourning ring: 18k, enamel, foiled garnet, “in Memory of” in stations around band, engraved on interior

3. Victorian hairwork faith, hope and charity ring: 10k, hair

4. Georgian foiled garnet band: garnets, 18k

5. Vintage witches heart midi ring: 14k

6. Victorian Bohemian garnet ring: 14k shank, gilt metal stone mounting, garnets

7. Victorian micro mosaic: 14k, Roman ruins mosaic set in onyx

1. Victorian converted brooch ring: 14k, mine cut and rose cut diamonds

2. Vintage snake midi: 14k, ruby eyes

3. Early Victorian snake ring: 14k, mine cut diamond, ruby eyes

4. Victorian snake ring: 14k, mine cut diamonds

5. Victorian stick pin conversion pinky ring: 10k, mine cut diamond, ceylon sapphire

6. Victorian snake wrap bracelet: 18k, mine cut diamond

7. 22kt and diamond polki bangle

8. 22kt and diamond polki bangle

9. Victorian snake wrap bracelet: 14k, ruby eyes

*a fun anecdote from Eden about #3 snake ring: “About 15 years ago at my favorite down and dirty flea market- not an antique market but the kind of place where people bring what they cleaned out of their garage, I bought an old sewing box filled with buttons and bits of lace and trims, etc. There was an ancient rusty Sucrets tin in the box that I could not open because it was so rusted but since it was relatively light weight and nothing moved when I shook it, I figured was empty..  I think: maybe someday I’ll try to open it, so throw it back in the box with the buttons. Literally 10 years go by and I’m cleaning out my studio.. decide, since I never found a use for anything in that box, to throw it in a bag to give to Goodwill. Something, I don’t know what because I’ve ignored it for 10 years, gets under my skin about that Sucrets tin….  one screw driver and 15 mins later I’ve destroyed the poor thing but the lid is off. Inside is a folded up piece of tissue and inside the tissue is the snake ring.”

1. Victorian mourning bracelet: 14k and enamel, drop is 14k and jet with seed pearls engraved on back “Gertrude”

2. Victorian mourning bangle: 14k and enamel with seed pearls

3. Georgian bracelet: 18k, foiled rock crystal, silk velvet ribbon

4. Victorian Albertina watch chain bracelet: 14k, jet

5. Victorian mourning bangle: 14k, enamel, seed pearls

1. 50s hand painted miniature portrait ring: 14k, seed pearls

2. Victorian amethyst converted brooch ring: 18k, amethyst, seed pearls

3. Victorian baby signet midi ring: 10k

4. Victorian baby ring midi: 10k

5. Victorian bypass pinky ring: 14k, rose cut diamonds, natural pearls

6. Victorian love knot bracelet: 14k, mine cut diamond

7. Georgian amethyst bracelet: 15k, amethyst

8. Edwardian bangle: gold-filled, amethyst glass

9. Edwardian bangle: 10k, amethyst

1. Georgian sepia miniature ring: our own conversion of a brooch, 14k, rock crystal, paste, ivory

2. Georgian 18k & rose cut diamond ring

3. Georgian mourning ring midi : 18k, macerated hair painted “B” on mother of pearl

4. Art Deco 14k carved wedding band midi

5. Art Deco Platinum & diamond eternity band

4. Georgian mine cut diamond ring in silver pinch mounting on 18k band

5. Art Deco 14k diamond eternity band

6. Art Deco platinum and diamond “scroll” band

7. Victorian insect ring: 14k, silver, garnet, rose cut diamonds

1. Stuart crystal clasp on Victorian curb link bracelet: 20kt ( thereabouts), rock crystal, hair, engraved on the back “J.S. dy. June 1740 age 4 yrs. 6 mos.”

2. 14k white gold diamond line bracelet

3. Victorian gold-filled curb link bracelet

4. Edwardian 10k bangle

5. Victorian 9k “chain” bangle

6 Edwardian 10k engraved bangle

1. 60s cocktail ring: 14k, lapis, pave diamonds

2. 60s mouse ring: 14k, lapis, ruby eyes, pave diamonds

3. 80s 14k hammered gold ring

4. 70s bracelet: 14k, lapis, coral, pave diamonds

5. 70s pendant attached to bracelet: 14k lapis, coral, pave diamonds